The Enchanted Chronicals
by WitchGirl
Summary: These chronicals range from Harry's fith year to the next generation. I decided it wouold be best, though, to put them in the same story as chapters. Very interesting with some crossovers with the Obernewton series.
1. There's Something About Selina

There's Something About Selina  
  
  
The school year had begun and Harry was glad to get away from the Dursleys. Hermione was in the corner helping a frustrated Ron with his Charms homework. It was a peaceful night in Gryffindor tower until dinner that night...  
  
Everyone in the Great Hall was having the time of their life, laughing and eating. To them, it was just a normal night with nothing out of the ordinary. But for the Gryffindors, it was about to change as Professor McGonagall came over to Harry, Ron, and Hermione with a lovely 15-year-old girl.  
  
"This is Selina Stella Sun. She is a new student to Hogwarts and has been sorted into our house. I trust you will show her a good time and make her feel comfortable," Hermione nodded seeming to be the only one listening because Ron and Harry were looking curiously at the new girl. She had strait, shocking silver blonde hair a little bit past her shoulders and was dressed in the most peculiar way. Instead of the black dress code for Hogwarts, she wore white robes. Her eyes, though, were the most enchanting part about her. They were bright blue and sparkled mysteriously like stars as if there were millions of secrets locked behind them. She gave the trio a mysterious smile. There was definitely something different about this girl.  
  
Harry awoke that night to a big thud on the floor. He was glad he had woken up, too, for he was having the worst nightmare.  
  
"Owe," by the sound of Ron's voice Harry knew Ron had fallen out of his bed.  
  
"You OK?" Harry asked.  
  
"Yeah," came Ron's voice again, "Hope I didn't wake you up," Harry turned and, his eyes adjusted to the dark, he saw Ron rubbing his head.  
  
"I'm glad you did, I was having the worst dream,"  
  
"Yeah? Me too. Hey, how about we go downstairs and talk about it?"  
  
"Sure," Harry agreed.  
  
When they got downstairs, they saw that someone was already there. Hermione was sitting in front of the dying fire with her head in her hands.  
  
"What's wrong, Hermione?"  
  
"Nothing, just a dream," she mumbled through her hands.  
  
"A dream? Like a nightmare?" Hermione nodded.  
  
"Ron and I had a nightmare, too. Mine had that new girl in it. I know this sounds weird, but Vold- uh, You-Know-Who was just about to kill me and she was standing there, letting him!"  
  
"I had that same dream, except he was trying to kill me!" Ron declared. Hermione looked up, shocked.  
  
"Me too... I don't know what's going on here, but I know that that girl has something to do with it,"  
  
The next morning the three friends went downstairs, groggily, for breakfast. As Professor McGonagall headed to the staff table, Hermione stopped her.  
  
"Excuse me a moment, Professor, but I was wondering... About Selina, where is she from?"  
  
The Professor seemed startled but pleased to hear this, "Anchorage, Alaska. Why do you ask?"  
  
"Well, it's just that she hasn't spoken yet and ... What else do you know about her?"  
  
"Why, Miss Granger, you should ask her," McGonagall started to walk off again but Harry caught her.  
  
"You're right, Professor, but as Hermione said, she hasn't spoken yet,"  
  
"Well why don't you find her and strike up a conversation. She's probably just shy," And with that, she left.  
  
"Shy, right," Hermione mumbled  
  
"Maybe McGonagall is right, maybe we should ask her. I mean, why should she get suspicious? We're just making conversation, riiight?" Ron stretched out the 'i' in 'right' and added the slightest bit of coercion to his voice.  
  
"Yeah. Hey, there she is! Selina, we didn't introduce ourselves properly. I'm Harry Potter and this is Ron Weasly and Hermione Granger," To Harry's surprise, Selina's face didn't light up with excitement when she heard the name "Harry Potter." Instead she just smiled her mysterious and mischievous smile and said, "Hello, Harry, Ron, and Hermione," she did have an accent but Harry couldn't place his finger on where it was from. 'Maybe it's an Alaskan accent,' Harry thought.  
  
"Um, so, tell us about yourself," Hermione said, a little nervously.  
  
"Well, I was born in Anchorage, raised in Anchorage, and schooled in Anchorage,"  
  
"Where did you go to school before this?" Ron asked.  
  
"ASW; Alaskan School of Witchcraft. It was an all girls' school. I've heard of your adventures, you three. Like in your first year? That whole thing with the Sorcerer's (Philosopher's) Stone. And the Basilisk in the Chamber of Secrets in your second year. You three lead fascinating lives,"  
  
"More than you know- Oof," Ron said as Hermione jabbed him in the stomach.  
  
"Hey look! Potter's got a new girlfriend! Malfoy called from the Slytherin table. Harry ignored him.  
  
"Um, what about family?"  
  
"Only child,"  
  
"Witch or wizard Mum and Dad?"  
  
"Nope,"  
  
"You mean you're muggle born?"  
  
"Oh I wouldn't say that..." just then, Parvati Patil and Lavender Brown came over and engaged in conversation with Selina.  
  
"SHE LIED! IT WAS ALL A LIE!" Hermione came screaming to Harry and Ron.  
  
"What's wrong, Hermione?" Ron asked.  
  
"I've been in the library for hours looking to see if there really was an 'ASW' and there isn't one! She lied! She obviously has something to hide!"  
  
"Now, Hermione, aren't you overreacting a little? Maybe she went to another school with a bad reputation and didn't want to tell us. If you came from a school with a reputation worse then Durmstrang, would you want people to know about it? I mean, she seemed nice enough," Harry pointed out.  
  
"Wormtail seemed nice enough to Sirius to put your parents life in Wormtail's hands! And what was that last thing she said? 'I wouldn't say I'm muggle born,' or something like that. What did she mean?"  
  
"Hermione, you're taking this a bit to seriously. Maybe she was embarrassed about being muggle born. All you have to prove that she's evil is a silly dream that we all had," Ron said.  
  
"Dreams can mean a lot, Ron. And I'm muggle born and I'm not ashamed of it,"  
  
"Hermione, that's you, we're talking about her,"  
  
"Yeah, and I thought you didn't believe in all that Trelawney stuff anyway about dreams and seeing the future and stuff,"  
  
Hermione took in a deep breath, "I don't it's just more then once a friend of mine-" she glanced across the room to Lavender, "-has had dreams and they came true! I have proof! Like once, she told me that she had a dream that a black dog started chasing a mouse and then she saw us try and save the mouse. Then, we tried to kill it along with the dog, but it got away! That was in our third year when Sirius was on the loose, and that wasn't the first time!" she defended.  
  
"Let's sleep on it for now, OK, Hermione? You'll feel better in the morning," Harry suggested.  
  
The next morning, Hermione was more rested and had calmed down. So much in fact that she didn't show frustration or give Neville a lecture about being more careful with spells when he asked her to turn Trevor back into a toad instead of a snail that ate flies. It seemed she didn't care about her outburst the night before which was very unusual because she was usually very stubborn about these kinds of things. Harry and Ron decided not to mention it in case she would burst out about it again. Everything was fine until when Harry was on his way to Tansfiguration and was about to turn the corner when he heard Snape's voice.  
  
"Really I don't know why Dumbledore let you in here. You're more trouble then Potter and his friends. You and your kind are all alike! Causing trouble wherever you go. I know that you're here to protect Potter but why is it that you insist on causing havoc while you're at it. Dumbledore will have fun with you, won't he, Miss Sun..."they're voices trailed off. Harry ran all the way to Transfiguration.  
  
"You'll never believe what I just heard!" he told his friends.  
  
"Potter, not in the middle of class thank you. You may have plenty of time when class is over," McGonagall scolded. Harry waited in anticipation to share what he had heard out in the hall. His mind wasn't on his work and so, he turned a rabbit into a fox with bunny ears instead of a black top hat.  
  
"I knew it! I knew it all along!" Hermione voiced following a long moment of silence after Harry told his news in the Gryffindor common room that night, "That girl is evil!"  
  
"If she's evil, why would she be here to protect Harry?" Ron asked as much to himself as to his friends.  
  
"Hmmm, a troublemaking protector? Never heard of that. Hermione, what do you make of it?" Harry said.  
  
"Well, she could be a nymph. They don't protect, but they sure love to goof off... No, I doubt she's a nymph,"  
  
"Then what could she be?" Ron asked what Harry was thinking.  
  
"Why can't she be human?" Hermione asked.  
  
"You heard what Harry said Snape said, 'you and your kind' what else could it mean?"  
  
"Maybe he meant trouble makers,"  
  
Harry had been silent for a long time while Hermione and Ron debated. He thought he should ask Sirius. He'd know.  
  
"Where are you going?" Ron asked, as Harry got up.  
  
"I'm going to write to Sirius,"  
  
Only when Hedwig disappeared from view did the three leave the owlry to go back to the common room. Unfortunately, they met two people they didn't want to meet but the surprising thing was they were laughing and enjoying each other's company.  
  
"Potter!"  
  
"Harry!" Malfoy's voice was angry and full of abhorrence and Selina's was surprised. Ron stifled a laugh despite the situation.  
  
"What are you doing here?" Harry, Hermione, Stella and Malfoy all said together.  
  
"Draco and I were having a pleasant walk and conversation around the campus,"  
  
"Nothing's 'pleasant' about Malfoy," Ron muttered under his breath.  
  
"And what were you doing?" Malfoy asked.  
  
"Sending a letter," Harry replied, truthfully.  
  
"Well then, you three should get back to the common room," Stella said, as calm as could be. And so they left.  
  
"Malfoy? With a Gryffindor? He hates every single person in our house! And not only a Gryffindor, but her!" Ron laughed.  
  
"D'ya think he's finally found a girlfriend?"  
  
"If so, they make a perfect match. Aside from the fact that she's actually kinda beautiful whilst he is repulsive!" Ron couldn't stop laughing. It was Hermione's turn to be silent. They could here her muttering to herself.  
  
"Selina Stella Sun... Blonde... Bright blue eyes... Protector... Why? ... For what? ... Malfoy...Moon star and sun... Moon star and sun... MOON STAR AND SUN! THAT'S IT!" and off she ran to the library leaving a stunned Harry and Ron to stare after her, bewildered.  
  
"Why is it Hermione is always the first one to find these sort of things and never bothers to tell us before she runs off to the library?" Ron asked a week later as Hermione poured through another book.  
  
"That's Hermione for you," Harry responded  
  
"Have you read what Sirius wrote?"  
  
"Yeah, it just says I shouldn't worry about her, not to ask anymore questions about her, and that she's here to help," Harry shook his head, "I don't know Ron..."  
  
The morning passed slowly as Hermione had promised to speak with Ron and Harry at lunch, but as Harry was about to go to the castle from Care of Magical Creatures, he heard a cry from the forbidden forest.  
  
"Hagrid, did you hear that?" Harry asked.  
  
"'Ear what?" Hagrid asked.  
  
"Nothing," Harry said, still looking at the forest. Ron was looking at the forest as well, "Did you hear it Ron?" Ron nodded absentmindedly. As the rest of the class headed for lunch, Harry and Ron lingered. When Hagrid went back into his cabin, the two went strait for the forest.  
  
"Let me go you good-for-nothing RAT!" Harry and Ron could hear a familiar voice call from behind the trees.  
  
"Expeliarmus!" Came another voice. There was the sound of a whoosh and a thud.  
  
"Owe, thanks,"  
  
"I wondered where those two were during class," Ron whispered to Harry. As they came to a clearing, they saw Hermione, standing wand poised at an unarmed Wormtail and Selina getting up off the ground. Hermione turned her head, saw them and gasped. In this brief moment while Hermione was distracted, Wormtail changed into a rat and scurried as fast as he could towards Selina.  
  
"BACK!" she screamed and incredibly, he started walking backwards. Harry and Ron, too were even taking a few steps back. Hermione gave a little giggle and Harry and Ron stopped and looked at her.  
  
"I'm sorry, it's just it's so funny to see it work on you guys,"  
  
"What?!" Harry and Ron had no idea what she was talking about.  
  
"This is not the time nor place for explanations. Selina, he's coming again!" Now Selina stood up and shook her head at the mouse,  
  
"You never learn. Now, I want you to go to your master and- OH!" in the middle of this, a cold hand slid like a serpent around Selina's neck.  
  
"I don't take commands from Starlings,"  
  
Now Ron and Hermione were really backing away from that cold evil voice. Harry, however, stood his ground.  
  
"LET HER GO!" He demanded. Voldemorte stepped into the light with his hand still threateningly around Selina's neck. He smiled.  
  
"Well, well, a two for one," A swarm of Death Eaters stepped out of the darkness behind Voldemorte. The four wanted to run, but they were too deep into the forest. If they did run, it would have been in circles.  
  
"I know now, not to play games," Voldemorte said, "bring me the girl!" Wormtail, human again, proceeded towards Hermione.  
  
"Expeliarmus!" Voldemorte shouted, driving Hermione's wand from her hands. Hermione stared wide-eyed at Wormtail.  
  
"MOVE!" Harry and Ron shouted, but she stood stock-still. Harry pulled up his feet that seemed to have been rooted to the ground and dived at Hermione.  
  
"No!" she screamed, fighting to get back to the place she was.  
  
"Venenumous!" Cried Voldemorte aiming at Harry. He hit Hermione instead and she was thrown across the forest and slammed into a tree, a small stream of blood leaked out under her hairline. Harry turned to Voldemorte with hatred in his eyes.  
  
"What did you do to her?!" he demanded. Voldemorte lifted Selina off the ground and her hands were struggling to loosen the tight grip of his hand, her feet kicking in the air. There was a sizzling sound and Selina screamed.  
  
"Let them go, it's me you want, not her or Hermione or Ron,"  
  
"You know what, you are right. I don't want your stupid friends. However, I have been looking for this one since I knew what a Starling was,"  
"What's a Starling?" Harry looked at Ron who could barely shrug he was so terrified. He kept staring at the unconscious form of Hermione.  
  
"'Arry! Ron! "'Ermione! Selina!" they heard a loud voice call. Ron looked up at Harry and his eyes widened, if possible, even more.  
  
"It's Hagrid!" he choked.  
  
"Harry! Ron! Hermione!" they heard Professor McGonagall cry. Voldemorte looked around uneasily.  
  
"Grab Potter and kill the other one. Leave the girl!" one Death Eater pointed his wand at Ron and three grabbed Harry and forced him over to Voldemorte. The world around Harry blurred and the last thing he heard was Ron's horrible scream. Everything went black.  
  
"NO!" Harry screamed when he woke up and the world became solid again, "You killed him! You killed my best friend!" He tried to reach for his wand but realized it had been taken away from him. He was tied to a tree in a graveyard. Voldemorte's ugly distorted face came into view. Harry looked around. He saw Selina tied to a tree as well. She was already awake and was scowling at Voldemorte. There was a new addition to her appearance. She had a deep red burn on her neck in the shape of a hand. Harry knew it was the scar from when Voldemorte had burned her in the forest.  
  
"You sicko!" was all she could think to say. Voldemorte walked over to Selina with a dagger.  
  
"I need your blood,"  
"Are you obsessed with blood and bones?" Harry asked. In his first year, Voldemorte had drunk unicorn blood. In his forth year, he took the bones of his own father and the blood of Harry himself.  
  
"Not in your life!" Selina spat.  
  
"I need the blood of an immortal and what better then a Starling?"  
  
"What is a Starling!?" Harry asked angrily.  
"Me," said Selina, "I can control the stars and see the future. My kind and me are what makes the universe work. We are seen as Gods among the centaurs," Selina grinned wickedly, "and not only can I control the stars to read what the future holds, I can bend the rules a bit. Make them turn out the way I want. Make people do what I want them to do. But the stars are only controllable to a certain length. They are alive and they are mischievous. And sometimes, they don't listen to their masters. This was not supposed to happen, but Voldemorte has made sure that it did. I was here to protect you and to change the alignment of the stars if they were not in your favor. To keep you away from him. In that, I have failed,"  
"Miserably, might I add. I am so sorry to cut into your meaningful conversation, but I have to kill you know," Voldemorte brought up the dagger and embedded it deeply into Selina's chest. She let out a painful scream and her head rolled and fell on her shoulders. Wormtail came rushing up to his master with a cup of some liquid. He then added Selina's blood to the mixture and handed it to Voldemorte. As Voldemorte reached for the glass, however, Wormtail took it away and dropped it on the ground. It bubbled like acid and then sank into the ground.  
  
"You fool!" Voldemorte cried, "Do you know how difficult it is to get the elixir from a fairy's wing?"  
  
"I'm sorry master, but it wasn't me! I didn't mean to do it," Harry knew it was impossible, but Selina's face now held a grin that hadn't been there before. Voldemorte turned his back to Harry and Selina's arms twitched then she broke free of her bindings all together. She grabbed Wormtail's wand.  
  
"Adnihilo!" she screamed at Wormtail and he fell to the ground, unconscious, "I have demolished his brain. He is in a coma. Mr. Riddle, did you forget that immortals can't die? No Starling will ever die at a dagger to the heart. There is one way alone to kill us and if you think I am going to tell you what that is then you're crazier then the stars read!"  
  
"Asinine Starling! Out of my way!" Voldemorte threw Selina across the yard, "You don't deserve a simple death. You deserve to be tortured! Crucio!" there was not one muscle in Harry's body that didn't feel pain. He began convulsing. The pain was like a hundred knives penetrating the skin all over his body and having a horrible acid-like burning poison being shoved down his throat at the same time. Then the pain stopped. Through his blurred vision since his glasses had fallen off and his eyes were clouded with pain, he could see Selina, staggering to stay up right. She held Voldemorte's wand in her hand. Harry gathered that Selina had used the disarming spell. Unable to stand on her feet any longer, she slumped to the ground. Harry had no idea what was draining her energy, but he didn't know then that she happened to be contacting someone mentally. A woman named Elspeth Gordie that Harry had never met yet. The strain on her mind had been so great that she finally fell unconscious. Voldemorte picked up his wand and pointed it at Harry again.  
  
"No more games," he promised, for the second time that night.  
  
"Avada Ked-"  
  
"EXPELIARMUS!" a male voice cried. Selina was still unconscious. Harry could see no one with his faulty vision. All he knew was that he was suddenly being lifted up into someone's arms and being taken far away from where he was...  
  
Harry awoke in the hospital wing. He found it slightly ironic that at the end of each year he would somehow end up here. His vision was still fuzzy but he reached on the bedside table and found his glasses. He put them on and looked around the room. He saw Hermione, her head bandaged yet still unconscious, but that was all. No one else. No Ron. The drama was over and now Harry could finally grieve for his lost friend. A tear streamed down his face.  
  
"Professor, Harry's awake!" Harry frowned, confused. He looked over at the door. A young redheaded teenage boy was there, grinning at Harry.  
  
"Ron?" Harry asked.  
  
"Harry, we need to know what happened in the cemetery," Dumbledore entered the room.  
  
"What's going on? I thought Ron was... And Hermione! What's wrong with her?"  
  
"All in due time, my boy, in due time," Dumbledore sat next to Harry with Ron by his side.  
  
"Selina will tell you," Harry mumbled, too tired to explain.  
  
"No, actually, she won't. Harry, Selina had left. She said to say goodbye for her and she was positive you would see her again,"  
"What about that other man... the one who found me. Why can't he tell you?"  
  
Dumbledore smiled, "Harry, there was no other man," he said, "a black dog found you and returned you to me," Harry sighed. So it had been Sirius.  
  
"I understand. But what happened to Voldemorte?"  
  
"He was alone in the graveyard? No Death Eaters around?"  
"No, he was alone. What happened?"  
  
"Selina recovered as you fell unconscious and surprised Voldemorte from behind. He lost his wand to Sirius and was being watched by a Starling. It isn't like Voldemorte to flee, but he did anyway. Even I do not know what he is thinking or planning," Ron had been practically holding his ears for those last few lines. Harry had noticed and gave him an apologetic smile. Ron smiled back. It was good to see him smile again.   
  
"Professor, I must insist you let this poor boy rest!" for once, Harry was glad for Madame Pomfrey's interruption.   
  
"Just give us a few minutes, Poppy," Madame Pomfrey gave Dumbledore a disapproving look but he seemed not to notice, "So Harry, what happened?" and so, much to the dislike of Madame Pomfrey, Harry explained the happenings of the day turned to night.  
  
"I suppose it is Ron's turn to explain," Dumbledore said, looking at Ron.  
  
"Huh? Oh, yeah, right. When the Death Eater was going to kill me, I kicked him in the-"  
  
"We don't need it to be that detailed, Ron," Dumbledore smiled.  
  
"Right. Well, I kicked him, anyway and it hurt him so much, he dropped his wand. Then Professor McGonagall showed up and they took care of the rest,"   
  
"What about Hermione?"  
  
"Hermione? Oh..." Ron trailed off.  
  
"What happened?"  
"She has a concussion, Harry, and she has blood poisoning," Dumbledore replied.  
  
"How did she get blood poisoning?"  
"Well, remember that spell You-Know-Who did? That did it," Ron answered, shifting in his chair, uneasily.  
  
"She won't die from it; it isn't life threatening," Dumbledore reminded him, "And it isn't anything Madame Pomfrey can't fix," Harry nodded, understanding.  
  
"If that is all, I think this child needs sleep!" Madame Pomfrey ushered Ron and Dumbledore to the door.  
  
***  
  
"Where are they?"  
"Are they OK?"  
"What happened?"  
"Was it You-Know-Who" The questions were hard for Ron to answer when he entered the Gryffindor common room. Ginny was crying quietly in the corner. Ron decided it was a good idea to go and cheer his sister.  
  
"It's OK, Ginny," he comforted.  
  
"Are they all right?" she asked. Ron had never seen her this distressed and didn't know why.  
  
"Ginny, what's wrong?"  
  
"It's just that... Oh Ron!" she burst into tears and he put his arms around her, "It was me," she breathed, "it was me," and Ron had no idea what she was talking about. The whole common room was watching the two, now, and Ron didn't like it.  
  
"Don't you have other things to do?" he demanded. And they scattered upstairs at the tone of his voice, "What do you mean, Ginny?"  
  
"Well, it all started with Selina. She told me what she was and she asked me to do her a favor. She... She asked me to tell Hermione to meet her in the forest when you had Care of Magical Creatures. She told me to tell her that Selina was going to tell her everything about herself. And so I did and I was so curious I followed. But Selina knew I was there. She knows everything! She told me to hide and I did. When Hermione came, they had talked for no longer then one minute when he showed up. He found me and he made Hermione save my life. When Hermione was distracted, he grabbed Selina and that was when you came in. It's all my fault!"  
  
Ron was startled. He thought it was more then that, "Harry's fine," was all he said.  
  
"Hermione?" she asked.  
  
"She... Will be fine,"  
  
"Oh now that's my fault too!"  
  
"How can it be your fault?"  
  
"I... Hermione was hiding me. She didn't want to run. When You-Know-Who said 'bring me the girl,' he was talking about me. She was protecting me. I was wearing Selina's invisibility cloak!"  
"What?! But he was aiming for Harry!"  
  
"No, he was aiming for me. I was right next to Harry and it looked like he was aiming for him. That was why Hermione was so reluctant to move. It's all my fault!"  
"Why was he after you?"  
"I was a witness. And Selina said he just didn't like me. I don't know! Do you think it's possible to read peoples' minds?!"  
  
"Oh, Ginny, don't blame yourself!"  
"If I hadn't have come..." she muttered, "If I wasn't there, maybe she'd be OK," Ron held his sister close in his arms.  
  
***  
  
"Owe... I hate this! My head still hurts!" Hermione muttered a few weeks later when she had finally awoken.  
  
"Madam Pomfrey was supposed to stop the head aches," Ron said.  
  
"How? With magic?" Hermione asked, doubtfully. Harry nudged Ron.  
  
"She still thinks she's a muggle. Madam Pomfrey didn't want to do anything magically until she realizes she's a witch. And at least she cured the blood poisoning," he whispered.  
  
"Oh. How can she forget five years?" Ron said, still disbelieving.  
  
"I wish I knew!" Hermione declared, "I can barely remember your names!"  
  
"That means she won't remember anything for exams. When she gets her memory back, she's going to be a little mad," Ron said.  
  
"Exams? On what? Math? Science?"  
  
"What? More like Transfiguration, Charms-"  
  
"RON!"  
  
"Sorry! Why can't we just tell her?"  
  
"Because Madam Pomfrey-"  
"Since when do you listen to Madam Pomfrey?"  
"Who's Madam Pomfrey?"  
  
"Please, Harry, this is annoying! I hated her being a know-it-all but I also hate Hermione not knowing anything at all," Ron frowned in thought, "Did I just say 'Hermione' and 'not knowing anything' in the same sentence? That doesn't sound right,"  
  
Harry smiled, "She'll remember. And when she does, she'll get you for that,"  
  
"You know, it's rude talking about someone in the third person when they're in the room," Hermione looked her old self for a minute with her hands on her hips.  
  
"Her memory's coming back already,"  



	2. Harry Potter and the Farseeker

Disclaimer: I only own Selina  
  
Harry and the Farseeker  
  
Chapter 1  
  
Elspeth Gordie  
  
  
Harry, Ron, Hermione, and the rest of the 6th year Gryffindors were the first ones to get to see the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher because it was their first class of the semester. As they entered the classroom, Harry noticed a mysterious woman sitting behind the teacher's desk. She was very slender, but in an attractive sort of way and her long black hair reached up to her waist. She had a gold chain around her neck and it defiantly had a charm with it, but it was hidden under her cloths. She looked up at Harry, green eyes twinkling and smiled. Those green eyes... They reminded Harry of Someone. The class sat down, quietly.  
  
"Hello, class. My Name is Elspeth Gordie. Most of your teachers would like you to call me Professor Gordie, but I think that sounds too formal. Just call me Elspeth. Today, we are going to talk about the natural mind powers that even some muggles have. But these powers can be very dangerous if you don't know how to use or shield your mind from these powers. Does anyone know what I'm talking about?" As usual, Hermione's hand shot strait into the air.  
  
"Yes, Hermione?" the class was shocked for Elspeth had said this without even referring to the class list.  
  
"Farseeking, Empathizing, Coercing, Beastspeaking, Healing and Futuretelling. But Professor I-"  
  
"Not 'Professor', Elspeth. And five points to Gryffindor for naming those, Hermione, you are smarter then I thought,"  
  
"Yes, well Elspeth I don't know what this has to do with the dark arts,"  
  
"These powers can be very dangerous if used by the wrong people. And besides, some people in this very class have some of those powers in them. I can feel it. Where else are they going to learn how to develop their abilities? In History of Magic? And if they don't learn how to use their abilities, then they will misuse it in the future. We will only work on it for a while," Elspeth now addressed the class, "Of coarse you all have no idea what Hermione and I are talking about. The easiest to explain, is beastspeaking. It is exactly how it is called. Beast-speaking. You speak to animals through your mind. This ability can be useful and dangerous. If you are met with an enemy that has this ability, Most animals will be against you since they aren't particularly fond of humans. But if you can communicate them, they will be to your advantage in cases of extreme emergency. I sense only one beastspeaker in this room," the class looked around at each other, wondering who the one beastspeaker was. Elspeth continued, "The next, is Futuretelling. One of the most dangerous abilities: to see the future. I feel there are two in this room and not a very talented one called Trelawney," the class all looked at Parvati and Lavender, not having to wonder this time. "Ah, but futuretelling is more then Talons and Tealeaves," the class looked suspiciously at Elspeth, "Oh, no. You see, a true futureteller has to dive, deep into the mind and hover over the mindstream. But the mindstream is even more dangerous then any of these abilities because if too close, it will pull you in and bring you to your death," The class went silent and frightened, yet intrigued with Elspeth's words, "Oh, look at me! I shall explain the rest tomorrow. Right now, I need a volunteer..." not many people raised their hands, but as always, Hermione was eager to be teachers pet. However, Elspeth's eyes passed strait over her.  
  
"How about, you, Harry," Harry looked up. He knew he had no talent. His only talent was Quidditch. Or perhaps he was that one beastspeaker in the room. After all, he could speak parseltongue. Harry stood up and faced Elspeth. What happened was impossible to describe!  
  
Chapter 2  
  
Minds and Memories  
  
  
Harry felt a rush of emotions. He felt as if his head would explode, yet had the quiet sense of serenity. Somehow, he knew that Elspeth was inside of his head, no matter how impossible the thought seemed.  
  
'Hello, Harry,' Harry heard the words as if they were his thoughts except in a different voice. He didn't know what to do.  
  
'All you have to do is think,' the thought came again.  
  
'Can you read my mind?' Harry thought. The mental voice laughed, 'Only if you want me to. If you are asking if I can see your memories, then I will ask your permission to see them, but I don't want to just yet. Currently, I can only read your conscious thoughts but I can go deeper. Of coarse I'm being polite. Others might invade your mind, which is why it is vital to learn to protect your mind. There is a thing called a mind shield and some people have natural mind shields, but unfortunately you don't. Now, I want to show you something,' Elspeth opened her mind to Harry and all of a sudden, he saw something amazing.  
  
The class had been waiting for someone to speak but Harry and Elspeth had been silent for a long time. Little did they know that Harry and Elspeth were having a secret conversation. Elspeth sighed.  
  
"That, Harry, is called farseeking," Ron, along with the rest of the class looked as if they had no idea what she was talking about. Hermione on the other hand looked jealous.  
  
"Does that mean that you two were farseeking? And if so, does that mean Harry is a farseeker?"  
  
"Yes and no. We were farseeking-" Hermione's jealous look grew "-but Harry is only slightly talented. Now, to block a farseeker from your mind, you can do three things. You have to be drugged, asleep, or you can create a mind shield. It isn't hard to create one, but it can be difficult to maintain it. Harry, I want you to concentrate on stopping me from entering your mind. Now, this may hurt a little..." the two closed their eyes. Harry tried very hard to make a mind shield. It worked! He could feel something like a barrier around his head. But all of a sudden, it shattered involuntarily. Harry felt a stabbing pain in his head. He buckled over. The class gasped and Elspeth apologized.  
  
"I'm sorry, Harry, I didn't mean to be so forceful. That was an excellent shield, but you need to learn how to keep it. Now, I see two farseekers here. Could Dean Thomas and Ron Weasley please come to the front of the class," Ron looked shocked. Him, a farseeker? He came to the front.  
  
"Now, I want you two to come to me after school at this time to develop your abilities," she gave them a piece of paper, "We shall study coercing and healing in our next class and I will try with another student to teach the mind shield again." As the class was leaving, Elspeth farsent, "Harry, tell only those you trust what I showed you from my mind," Harry nodded.  
  
"Hermione, could you stay after class please?" Hermione did so Harry and Ron went to Herbology alone.  
  
"Ron, I saw inside her head! She isn't just a farseeker, she's what's called, The Seeker. Not only that, she's from the future,"  
  
Chapter 3  
  
Problem at the Quidditch match   
  
  
Hermione was ecstatic when she heard what Harry said that night in the common room.  
  
"But- she can't be- it's impossible!"  
  
"Why?" Harry asked  
  
"Why would the Seeker come here, now, unless..."  
  
"Unless what? And what is this Seeker thing?" Ron asked, completely clueless.  
  
"Why don't you use your farseeking abilities to find out?" the words came out with more spite and jealousy then Hermione had intended. Ron gave a sarcastic look of hurt.  
  
"Why, Hermione, I never knew you could be jealous of me," now, he looked down, embarrassed, "Besides, I don't know how very well yet," he mumbled.  
  
"The Seeker and The Destroyer are all part of a legend. In the future, muggles will stupidly get so obsessed with being the most powerful that they will make a machine that will destroy themselves. Some people will survive this, and the Seeker, born after this, is supposed to find and destroy these death-machines and the destroyer is meant to find the death-machines and recreate the apocalypse. Most people just think it's a myth, but if she's here, then we know it will actually happen. If she's here now then that must mean that the muggles are already starting to make the machine!" Hermione explained.  
  
"Hermione, if you don't mind me asking, what did Elspeth speak to you about after class?" Harry asked. Hermione blushed.  
  
"Oh, nothing important," Harry and Ron looked at her, suspiciously.  
  
"Well, I should get some sleep, practice tomorrow," Harry said.  
  
It had been weeks and Wood, (who stayed on to play quidditch) had been pushing the team really hard this year.  
  
"All right, team, I am doing this for you now. McGonagall has asked me to coach you guys and I'm going to do the best job I can! Now, I've thought up a new strategy for you..." as usual, not many people were listening to Wood's "new strategy" because they were all half-asleep and Fred and George were asleep. It was 5:45 and Harry watched, vaguely as Wood showed step after step on the chalkboard. By the time they hit the field, it was 8:00 and Ron and Hermione were sitting in the bleachers. Practice went smoothly, but when it was over, he felt as if he'd die of hunger. Ron had saved him some soggy toast, which Harry gobbled up instantly. The other practices passed in a similar way until it was time for the first math of the year: Gryffindor versus Hufflepuff. The team looked awkward to Harry without Cedric Diggoroy, but they had a new seeker this year, a very small boy who looked to be in his third or fourth year. This kid, Harry knew, was called Andrew Gregie. Wood had informed Harry that he was a fast kid. It was a clear, cloudless day with a bright blue sky. The captains shook hands and Madam Hooch called, "Mount your brooms!" they all did and Madam Hooch blew her whistle. They rose into the air and Harry rose high above the field. He listened intently to Lee Jordan's commentary while looking all the while for the snitch.  
  
"Gryffindor in possession. Angelina Johnson heading for goal and- Ooh, bludger, that had to hurt!" Harry saw a bludger hit Angelina in the ribs. Fred whooshed passed her and successfully hit the bludger at the Hufflepuff chaser who had possession of the quaffle. Just then, Harry saw a shimmer of gold way up above him. He rose very high, Andrew on his tail, when suddenly, he had a splitting migraine. It hurt so much it was as if he had a very bad concussion. No one seemed to notice Harry for he could still faintly hear cheering and Lee kept on with the commentary, ("Gryffindor in the lead, 70 to 50").  
  
"You OK, Harry?" Andrew's concerned look was the last thing Harry saw before he fell unconscious, but he wasn't the last thing he heard. He heard a gleeful voice in his head.  
  
"I've got you now!" it laughed.  
  
Chapter 4  
  
Traveling the Dream Trails  
  
"Damn!" cursed Elspeth. If only that mind hadn't broken her mind shield around Harry's mind Harry would still be conscious. Of coarse if she didn't put up a mind shield around his mind he would still be conscious, too, but the other mind would have gotten what it wanted which wouldn't be good. Luckily, Hermione and Ron had seen Harry fall unconscious and Hermione had preformed the leg-locking curse to keep him from falling off his broom, but it wouldn't hold long. Everyone still had their minds on the game until Wood called a time out, noticing his seeker was in trouble. Everyone flew down except the Weasley twins, Harry and Andrew. Andrew tried to move Harry onto his broom, but it didn't work. In fact, it made things worse. As he tried to move him to his broom, there was a loud crack as both Hermione's curse and Harry's leg snapped. The crowd gasped as Harry fell off his broom only being held by his hand by Andrew Gregie and the Weasley twins flying up to help. Elspeth stood up and walked onto the field. She then whipped out a vile from her belt, drank it and fell on conscious. No one had any idea what she was doing...  
  
Now asleep, Elspeth could now enter Harry's mind on the Dream Trails, knowing the other mind would have led Harry here. She heard a mind and then saw a black cat stealthily leading a phoenix.  
  
"This way now," the cat said.  
  
"Who are you? Where are you taking me?" Elspeth recognized Harry's mental signature from the phoenix. So this was the shape he took on the Dream Trails, Elspeth thought. Elspeth took the form of a white bird on the dream trails.  
  
"I am taking you to the mindstream," the cat said.  
  
"What? But Elspeth said that's dangerous,"  
  
"Oh, not this part of the mindstream. It is very calm," Elspeth knew all too well that no part of the mindstream was calm. The cat was leading Harry to his death.  
  
"Wait!" a tiger leapt between Elspeth and the two others just before Elspeth was about to get Harry away from the cat.  
  
"Maruman! How can you be here?" Elspeth demanded of the tiger.  
  
"Marumanyelloweyes protects/watches Elspethinnle on the Dream Trails where ever Innle goes," Elspeth knew that Innle was the title the beasts gave her.  
  
"But I am in the past! How can you be here?"  
  
"Marumanyelloweyes follows/protects/watches Elspethinnle. Innle must leave the dreamtrails! Potterboywholived is in danger!"  
  
"I know! That's is why I must help him. Potterboywholived is important for me to find the death machines!"  
  
"Not now, danger comes!" Elspeth went past Maruman to Harry for he was now coming to close to the mindstream.  
  
"NO!" Elspeth cried, and knocked him and her both into a bubble that rose from the mindstream. They were in a vision of the future.  
  
"Elspeth? Where are we?" Harry asked.  
  
"We are in a future vision. No one can hear or see us. All we do is watch," they were in a dark room with two doors and Harry saw Hermione. Hermione had a wand to her head and from behind one of the doors Harry could hear Ron's screams. Harry couldn't see who was holding the wand to Hermione's head but who ever it was, Hermione spoke to them, tears in her eyes.  
  
"You and your kind are horrible people!" she sobbed, "Leave Ron alone he knows nothing! What are they doing to him in there and what did you do to Harry?"   
  
The man spoke, "Ron Weasley is being tortured by the Crutatious curse and Harry Potter has been taken care of by the Dark Lord himself," Hermione gasped then asked, cautiously but bravely, "What are you going to do with me?" the man in the darkness stepped out with his back turned to Harry and readied his wand. Harry could just see Hermione's look of horror before the Death Eater stepped in front of her.  
  
"NO!" he cried as the vision dimmed and he rose to consciousness.  
  
Chapter 5  
  
Awakened and Scared  
  
  
Harry woke with a start at the exact same time Elspeth woke beside him in the hospital wing. Ron and Hermione were by his bed and stood up when he awoke.  
  
"Harry! I'm glad you're OK! That was so scary!" Hermione said.  
  
"I'm just glad you're OK," Harry mumbled.  
  
"Huh?" Hermione and Ron looked confused.  
  
"It was only a dream he had," Elspeth answered for him.  
  
"But- you said-"  
  
"Forget what I said Harry, it was only a dream,"  
  
"You. Why did you deliberately fall unconscious in the middle of the field?" Ron demanded  
  
"I had to help Harry get away from the mind that entered his. If I hadn't, he would have died in the mind stream,"  
  
"But the cat said-"  
  
"The cat wanted to kill you Harry!" Elspeth interrupted again.  
  
Hermione looked thoughtful, "The only way to enter a mind when the person's asleep is to fall asleep yourself. Then that means..." Hermione gasped.  
  
Elspeth finished for her, "That means that the person that entered Harry's mind was asleep when he did it,"  
  
"Malfoy decided to sleep in today when Harry was playing," Ron said  
  
"But does he really have enough power to lead Harry to his death?" Hermione asked.   
  
Elspeth shook her head, firmly, "No, he has no mind talent at all. It would be completely impossible for him to even get into Harry's mind with out some help."  
  
"Then who is it?" as Ron asked the question, an old, one-eyed ginger cat entered the room lazily. Elspeth opened her mouth wide in shock.  
  
"Maruman!" she said aloud, "I thought you only followed me mentally!"  
  
"That cat... who is it?" Hermione asked.  
  
"This cat has named himself my protector on the Dream Trails. Along with being a Farseeker, I am also a strong beastspeaker and strong coercer. The cat calls me Innle after the legendary human who will someday lead them to freedom from the humans. At least that's what other beastspeakers think. Little do they know that I actually am the Innle of their legends, or so insists Maruman and my horse, Galtha. I am this as well as The Seeker, and Maruman knows this. You have no idea how much of an overwhelming job it is being me,"  
  
"Yeah? Try being famous Harry Potter for a day," Harry mumbled. Ron and Hermione ignored him for at that moment they were fascinated by Elspeth who was now communicating with the cat. Ron reached out a clumsy farseeking probe into Elspeth's mind to listen in on the conversation.  
  
"Marumanyelloweyes goes where Innle goes," Maruman sent, licking a paw.  
  
"Not here, you don't. You have no right trying to stop me from saving Harry!" Elspeth scolded, unaware of Ron's probe, amateurish as it was.  
  
"Marumanyelloweyes had too. Mornirdragon came,"  
  
"Dragon?" Elspeth said aloud then fell back into mind speech, "Is she here, too? How, she's in a coma?"  
  
"She's not here. Transmitted her mind through Marumanyelloweyes,"  
  
"Why does he call himself 'Marumanyelloweyes'?" Ron asked. Elspeth was startled for she didn't know Ron was listening.  
  
"It's his beast name. We call him Maruman, he calls himself Yellow-eyes, and my friend, Dragon, Mornir which means red mane in beast speak,"  
  
"Who is Dragon," Hermione asked.   
  
Elspeth smiled, wanly, "A friend who was abandoned as a child. We found her little more then a savage. She fell into a coma and couldn't reach us so her mind thought we had left her. She responds with anger and the more she loves someone, the more powerful the anger because she misses us. I was the first to gain her trust and she thinks I have abused it, which is why Maruman warns me of her mind, but back to the present. I think you two should go and I think Madam Pomfrey will agree." Hermione and Ron nodded and left  
  
Harry looked at Elspeth, "Why didn't you tell them about the dream? Was it really only a dream?"  
  
"It is not good to act upon futuretellings Harry, I learned that the hard way. There is no need to worry those who need not be worried until the time comes,"  
"But you saw that! Voldemorte is going to kill me, torture Ron, and who knows what to Hermione!"  
  
"You really want to know what will happen Harry?" Elspeth asked, seriously, fingering the gold chain around her neck. Harry nodded. Elspeth took out what Harry recognized as a time turner around the chain. Without saying a word, Harry stood up and slid under the chain as Elspeth estimated how far into the future it was. To Harry's horror, she had estimated four days. As the room spun around Elspeth and he ended up in a deserted hall of Hogwarts and the sky was a dull gray, he had a feeling she was probably right.  
  
Chapter 6  
  
Trip to the Future  
  
Harry and Elspeth heard footsteps and Elspeth rushed him from view. Harry now realized how Elspeth had gotten to the past from her time. Harry could see from their hiding place that Ron, Hermione, and himself were coming down the hall. They were laughing. Harry suggested to Elspeth that they followed them. She agreed. When the future Harry, Ron and Hermione walked out the door, Elspeth and Harry started to follow after them when they heard a familiar voice.  
  
"Elspeth, Harry, I'm glad you're here," Professor McGonagall stopped them, "I was wondering if you could help me with something. With your farseeking abilities and your slight empath talent-"  
  
Harry cut her off, "But Professor, I don't have empath abilities,"  
  
"Nonsense, Professor Gordie just came to me yesterday and told me you did,"  
  
"But-"  
  
"We are in the middle of a lesson," Elspeth improvised, "Now Harry, I want you to empathize to the professor frustration," McGonagall gave a frustrated sigh and left.  
  
"How did I do that?" Harry asked.  
  
"You didn't. I probed her and found that she was frustrated with the Minister and made her think we were annoying. I then coerced her to leave. I didn't use empathy. I don't have that talent, but apparently you do,"  
  
"What will McGonagall say when she runs into the future Elspeth?" Harry asked. Elspeth smiled.  
  
"I'll remember this in four days your time. I'll make up something," she seemed so confident.   
  
"What is an Empath?"  
  
"One who can receive and generate emotions. For instance, if I were worried, you would sense it even before you saw me. Only you don't feel worry, you feel something else. Anger and Hatred are the hardest emotion to deal with according to my friends, Miky and Dameon who are skilled Empaths," Elspeth said. They exited the castle just in time to see the future Harry, Ron and Hermione kidnapped by death eaters on the brim of the Forbidden Forest. Harry and Elspeth followed them into an old abandoned shack in the middle of the Forbidden Forest. Elspeth cast a powerful spell to make Harry and her become invisible (The same thing Dumbledore did in book one, seeing as Harry forgot his invisibility cloak). As they slid sneakily through the door, Harry recognized the room from his dream. One Death Eater took the future Harry and Ron into separate rooms. Elspeth farsent Harry to follow her as she followed into the room the Death Eater took Harry. The future Harry was thrown to the floor and the Death Eater backed away towards the door. The Harry on the ground looked up. The other Harry and Elspeth did the same. A tall pale figure stepped into the light.  
  
"I have been watching you, Harry Potter," a high voice spat with spite. Elspeth and the past Harry drew back but the Harry on the floor remained. He seemed to be concentrating but then, a look of surprised horror spread across his face. Voldemorte smiled an evil smile.  
  
"I have a powerful mind shield. You can't get to me, Empath!" Elspeth, too, was concentrating, but not on Voldemorte, but on the future Harry.  
  
"Harry," she farsent and the future Harry started and Voldemorte just thought Harry was afraid of him.  
  
"Elspeth? Are you here?" Harry thought.  
  
"Yes. Only it's not me," Elspeth sent.  
  
"It's the you from four days ago,"  
  
"Yes. Anyway, Harry there is a way you can get past his mind shield when I can't,"  
  
"Huh?" Harry now looked puzzled and Voldemorte now suspected something, but he started talking anyway.  
  
"For 14 long years I have been trying to get revenge on you..." the usual speech Harry'd heard a million times by now.  
  
"You are an empath while I am a farseeker. You can still receive his emotions and use them against him," Elspeth sent.   
  
There was a pause and the future Harry sent back, "He's angry but so confident and sure he's going to finally kill me,"  
  
"Now, use that against him," Elspeth said, as if it were the easiest thing in the world.  
  
"How? I've only known I was an empath for three days! You never taught me this,"  
  
"All you have to do is transmit a rush of fury to him,"  
"WHAT! He'll kill me for sure,"  
  
"Just trust me," Elspeth was very assured.  
  
"All right, this shouldn't be too hard," Voldemorte gave a loud roar of anger and lunged at Harry. Harry jumped out of the way. Voldemorte brought out his wand.  
  
"Avada Kedavera," Elspeth dived at the future Harry while the other Harry's eyes were wide with fear and surprise as the green light hit Elspeth. It illuminated her and canceled out the invisibility spell. For a moment, it held her up in the air, suspended as if standing although she wasn't touching the ground. Amazingly, she was still alive and lifted her hands to her head. Voldemorte's eyes became wide with shock. Both Harries could feel she was farseeking Voldemorte whose shield was down. Elspeth was bringing old, painful memories to the surface. Along with the psychological pain cam the physical pain as the memories became so real, it was like he was consumed in a dream. He could feel the weakness when he was little more then a shadow of life. He could feel the pain the will to keep living and the burning desire to kill Harry Potter once and for all. He remembered those horrible years he spent in that terrible muggle orphanage. He remembered his father and how much he hated him. But most of all, he felt the frustration and humiliation of not being able to kill Harry even when he held all the cards and Harry himself thought he was going to die. Unfortunately, the future Harry was still emotionally connected to Voldemorte. He, too, could feel what Voldemorte felt only in a completely different way. The present Harry could see he was in pain. All of a sudden, the Harry on the floor fell unconscious unable to bare the emotional pressure. Elspeth now drew out her wand and aimed it at Voldemorte. "Expeliarmus!" She cried and Voldemorte's wand flew to the wall. Elspeth fell to the ground. She was very weak. It took all her strength and mind power to do that. Voldemorte was advancing on her. Harry didn't know what to do! Just then, he heard Hermione scream in the next room. On instinct, Harry ran to the next room. He saw Hermione tied to a chair just as in his dream and a tall Death Eater with his wand to her head. Now, Harry could see the Death Eater's face.  
  
"YOU!"  
  
Chapter 7  
  
Elspeth's Dark Secret  
  
  
The Death Eater looked around, wondering where the voice had come from because Harry was still invisible.  
  
"You piece of slime!" Harry shouted. Again, the Death Eater looked around along with Hermione.  
  
"Harry?" she whispered.  
  
"Leave her alone, Lucius Malfoy!" Harry screamed.  
  
This time, Hermione was sure he was there, "Harry go, leave! They want you. They want what you know. GO! Get help!" Harry stood very still aside from the fact that he was shaking in anger.  
  
"Leave her alone," he said in a calm warning, "No one hurts my friends," Malfoy looked around.  
  
"If that is Harry Potter, then I'm glad you're here because you can watch me kill your friend," Harry felt a rush of fury and wished that Malfoy knew how mad he was. All of sudden, Malfoy became very angry and Harry became terrified because he had seen what happened with Voldemorte. Without warning, Malfoy became very frightened as well. Now Harry was confused and a bewildered look came upon Malfoy's face. Suddenly, Harry realized what was going on. He was projecting emotions to Malfoy! He decided to take advantage of it. He projected fear and worry. Malfoy started to cower in a corner. Harry approached Hermione. He untied her.  
  
She reached for her wand and uttered, "LEPO!" just then, Malfoy disappeared and in his place stood a fluffy little black rabbit.  
  
"A fate he deserves!" declared Hermione.  
  
"It's a good thing you pay attention in Transfiguration, Hermione," Harry said, then flinched as he heard Ron's howls of pain. Harry and Hermione blasted away the door. Ron was rolling on the floor with a delighted Death Eater standing over him.  
  
"Expeliarmus!" Harry cried and the wand flew out of the Death Eater's hand. Ron couldn't get up for he was lying unconscious on the floor, unable to bare so much pain.  
  
BANG! Cords shot out of Hermione's wand and wrapped around the Death Eater the way they did with Snape in their third year. Harry lifted Ron up and was about to leave with Hermione when he remembered Elspeth and the future Harry in the other room. Harry told the Hermione to get Ron back to the castle and that he would catch up. Hermione nodded. Harry ran into the room where Voldemorte was. He gasped. There, on the floor, was a very near death Elspeth. Voldemorte was hovering over her, about to finish her off. Harry felt a rage of fury! Without thinking, he rushed straight at Voldemorte, wand ready. He shouted the first spell that popped into his head.  
  
"LEPO!" Voldemorte saw this and just before the spell hit him he cried, "Reflectous!" and the spell came zooming back at Harry! He didn't know what to do so he ducked and the spell bounced off a mirror and hit Elspeth. She turned into a rabbit instantly, but a lovely black and white one. Even as a rabbit, she didn't move. Voldemorte was advancing on Harry when Harry had an idea. He pointed his wand at Elspeth and said "Normalous!" Elspeth popped back into a person. Then, Harry started using his newfound empathy. He empathized strength and also drained off her fatigue. Elspeth awoke and without Voldemorte knowing it, she sneaked up behind him. All of a sudden, he turned and in one fast moment, as he raised his wand, Elspeth had called upon her own power faster and used her, unique and darkest ability on the Dark Lord. This shattered his mind shield for the power of Elspeth's unique ability could break even the strongest shield. Voldemorte was strong though. So strong that he was barely even human. This mattered little for Elspeth knew that this could work on beasts as she so sadly once learned. Voldemorte didn't even flinch when his shield was broken, but he did fall to his knees when Elspeth's ability reached him.  
  
"Elspeth, what are you doing?"  
  
"Using a power that is only mine and my brother's to share. It is a unique ability and I have only used it twice before. It is the power to kill..."  
  
Chapter 8  
  
The Power from Within  
  
  
"Elspeth, watch out!" Harry warned. Too late. Wormtail had sent a shock of green light directly at Elspeth to protect his master.  
  
"Kill them both..." Voldemorte said in a weak voice.  
  
"Yes, master," Wormtail smiled.  
  
"Not on your life! I thought you wanted me to tell you something," Wormtail stopped.  
  
"You... You didn't... you didn't get it out of them yet?" Voldemorte asked, in feeble anger.  
  
"No, master. Harry Potter, before you die, tell me-"  
  
"Pettigrew!" someone shouted. Harry turned and smiled at what he saw.  
  
"Sirius! Remus!" Wormtail said at first, frightened, then in a considerably more confident voice, "If you're here, then I suppose you will die, too,"  
  
"You wish!" while Wormtail was distracted, Harry hit him over the head with a brick. He fell unconscious to the floor. Elspeth dragged herself up. She was very near death, now, despite what Harry did.  
  
"Harry, you must... You must... use your head... the power from... From within..."  
  
"You mean my empathy?"  
  
Elspeth shook her head, "No... The... The power in your... from your... Ohhhhhhh," and she fell unconscious. Harry broke the connection with her. Voldemorte was gaining strength. Then he said a spell and pointed his wand at Sirius and Lupin.  
  
"Energo Drainous!" he cried. Sirius and Lupin fell to their knees. Voldemorte was getting stronger by the minute! Suddenly, Harry realized that Voldemorte was feeding off their energy!  
  
"NO!" he cried then, he heard a peaceful voice inside his head.  
  
"Do not fear/worry, Potterboywholived,"  
  
"Who are you?"  
  
"I am the enemy of the Destroyer/Dark Lord. Friend of the Seeker/Innle/Elspeth,"  
  
"Who?"  
  
The voice gave a mental equivalent of a smile, "I am here to encourage the Power from Within. You may name/call me Atthis, the Agillian. I speak through the witch Hermione,"  
  
"Hermione?"  
  
"All will be explained later. Now is time to act/move," Harry obeyed but still didn't know what all this 'Power from within' stuff was. He moved closer to Lord Voldemorte.  
  
The voice in Harry's head spoke again, "Touch him... NOW!" Harry did. Only then did he realize that his power didn't come from his head, nor his abilities, but from his heart.  
  
Harry was psychically bonded with Voldemorte and Harry re-experienced his parents' death. Not only that, he experienced Voldemorte's worst times. This softened Voldemorte very little for he made a lunge at Harry. Harry didn't let go for Atthis kept telling him not to. She reassured Harry that true power didn't come from hate, but from love. Harry empathized love to Voldemorte and Voldemorte hated it. So much that he screamed out loud. He fell to his knees and unconscious for, as Dumbledore so wisely once said, if there was one thing Voldemorte couldn't understand, it was love. Harry broke contact. He walked over to Elspeth and put the time turner around their necks. All of a sudden, the room began to spin and Harry was back in the hospital wing.  
  
Chapter 9  
  
Back in the Hospital Wing  
  
"Heavens, child, what happened?" Madame Pomfrey came running into the room staring, shocked at Elspeth.  
  
"I... I don't know..." Harry stammered, "She... I was sleeping and she... Well, I heard her in my mind... I heard she was... Um... in pain, yeah, that's right,"  
  
"Merlin's beard, she's almost dead! How this could have happened, I do not know,"  
  
"I do," Harry mumbled under his breath. Suddenly, the door flew open and in rushed Ron, Hermione, an annoyed looking Maruman, and, Harry didn't know why but, Dumbledore.  
  
"We heard Madame Pomfrey, what's wrong?" Ron asked, white-faced.  
  
"Elspeth! Head master, she's... Oh, she's close to dead!"  
  
Dumbledore smiled and tugged at his beard and Harry had the feeling, not for the first time, that Dumbledore knew more than anyone thought.  
  
"Odd... Very odd. Harry, could I speak to you?" Harry nodded and Madame Pomfrey rushed Elspeth out of the room and told Ron and Hermione to leave.  
  
"Harry, were you and Elspeth time traveling?" Harry gaped. Since he had not known of the abilities before, he never even theorized it, but now that he knew of the Talents, he assumed Dumbledore to be a powerful farseeker. Perhaps even an Empath.  
  
"I knew it. Harry, why is Elspeth unconscious?" Harry explained what happened to Dumbledore.  
  
"I see... An Agillian spoke to you?" Harry nodded, "Well, then you are a very lucky boy because they don't talk to ordinary people,"  
  
"What are Agillians?"  
  
"A bird, Harry, a bird. But not just any bird. A highly intelligent bird, probably more so then humans,"  
  
"Professor, Atthis said she was speaking through Hermione. What did she mean?"  
  
"Harry, a mind from the future needs a mind from the past to transmit through before going to its intended mind. Seeing as Hermione is a beastspeaker and a close friend of yours, she was a perfect choice,"  
  
"Hermione's a beastspeaker?" Harry's eyes were wide.  
  
"That she is, and she has the potential to be a strong one. Just as you have the potential to be a strong healer,"  
  
"Professor, I'm not a healer, I'm an empath,  
"You are equally talented in both areas, Harry. You drained Elspeth of her fatigue, and you were strong enough to bring her back. If you hadn't done so, she would have surly died,"  
  
"A healer..."  
  
"...Is a person who helps people heal using their mind. They can encourage blood to clot, scares to heal, drain fatigue, drain pain..."  
  
"I'm a healer?" Harry asked. Dumbledore nodded.  
  
"Now, Harry, I expect you had a tiring ordeal. You should get some rest,"  
  
Harry decided he was right and fell asleep.  
  
Chapter 10  
  
The Wanted Secret  
  
  
That night, Harry dreamed...  
  
"Potterboywholived, Elspeth would like to thank you, and I would, too," came Atthis's mind voice.  
  
"For what?"  
  
"For saving the life of the Seeker,"  
  
"But she saved me first," Atthis's mind gave the mental equivalent of a smile.  
  
"Ah, but if you died/perished then Elspeth/Innle/Seeker would never have come to be. Is it not ironic/funny that a daughter can save her father before she is even born,"  
  
"What? What do you mean? What are you saying?"  
  
"I am saying/sending that you have a power deep within your heart that is passed down generation to generation until it reached/will reach Elspeth,"  
  
"Are you saying I'm related to Elspeth?" Harry asked, unable to believe.  
  
"But of course. You are Elspeth's great, great grand father. She has the Power of the Heart that used to be only unique to you,"  
"HUH?"  
  
"The Power from Within is only yours and yours to have until Elspeth comes/has came. Your father did not have it, nor did your mother and nor will your offspring. The only person that will will have the greatest link to you. Elspeth. She is genetically, psychically, and even emotionally bonded to you. She is almost exactly like you. Even her parents were taken from her at a young age. They were burned as heretics. Oh how she pleaded and cried but soldier guards have hearts of ice," Harry still had no idea what to say.  
  
"Sometimes there is nothing to say. It is better to say nothing at all then say words that need not be said," Atthis sent, catching Harry's thought. All of a sudden, Harry recalled the first day he met Elspeth.  
  
"A mysterious woman sitting behind the teacher's desk. She was very slender, but in an attractive sort of way and her long black hair reached up to her waist. She had a gold chain around her neck and it defiantly had a charm with it, but it was hidden under her cloths. She looked up at Harry, green eyes twinkling and smiled. Those green eyes..."  
  
"Why is Elspeth here?" he asked.  
  
"It is funny/ironic that I am to give you the knowledge now that the Dark Lord will want in a few days,"  
  
"Then it is better you don't tell me," Harry said.  
  
"Ah, but I must! If I do not, it can change the future forever!" Atthis said.  
  
"Then tell me!" Harry demanded, getting frustrated with the bird.  
  
"She is looking for the Death Machines. She shall find them in..." Atthis explained to Harry where the death machines were.  
  
"Why must she find it now?"  
  
"Potterboywholived, it is impossible to stop what is coming, even if the funuga-li change now. There will still be a Great White/apocalypse/end no matter what anyone does. But, if Elspeth can find the machines now, it will help her in the future," Harry still didn't understand what the bird meant, but he wondered even more what the term 'funuga' was.  
  
"You are a funuga, Harry Potter, only you are a wizzardfunuga. Funuga-li means many funuga. Funuga is the beast speech for what you name human. I leave you now, Hermionemind grows weary..." The Agillian left Harry's mind and let Harry to his dreaming. Harry was determined to talk to Hermione tomorrow and ask her what she knew of Atthis.   
  
Chapter 11  
  
The Two Girls  
  
  
"Excuse me," came a timid voice from behind the slightly opened door. Harry sat up to see who it was.  
  
"My name is Meredith Sparrow. I saw what happened at the quidditch match yesterday and I wanted to see if you were OK. I didn't disturb you, did I?"  
  
"No," Harry said, truthfully.   
Meredith sighed with relief and all her tension disappeared She began in a confident voice, "I'm a Ravenclaw fourth year. Although we aren't in the same house, I'm a close friend of Andrew Gregi," She had blond hair, past her shoulders and blue eyes. She was actually quite lovely.  
  
"Really? He's a nice guy-" Harry stopped. A skilled probe had entered his mind. He looked, puzzled at Meredith. All of a sudden, it withdrew.  
  
"Are you..."   
  
Meredith looked down, "I didn't know you were mind sensitive. I'm a healer-beastspeaker. I was trying to help you from the inside out,"  
  
A second voice came, "Are you done, Mer? C'mon, I'm bored!" Meredith called back to her, "Krista, don't you know who I'm talking to?"  
  
"Yeah, yeah, big ol' famous Harry Potter. Can we go now?" Something about the bite in her voice sparked Harry's interest. She stepped into the room and her beauty stunned Harry. She had short brown hair and lovely brown eyes. Harry fell instantly in love. Krista looked at Harry and her own eyes lit up. She walked over to the bed.  
  
"You know, I never knew you were so cute," Meredith sighed, shook her head in disgust and said, "Harry, my stepsister, Krista Kil,"  
  
"Hello, Harry. I'm a get-to-the-heart-of-it kind of girl, so how would you like to go out with me?"  
  
"Sure!" Harry said on the spot. They smiled together.  
  
"Do you like her? I sure do, she's really nice. I think she must have been one of the smartest-" Hermione started  
  
"We are still talking about Atthis, right?" Harry asked.  
  
"Oh, her, too," she said, blankly, staring at Ron who was flirting with Meredith. Harry sighed, and looked in the same direction.  
  
"You like her, then you should meet her step-sister," It was odd for Hermione to like one of Ron's girlfriends, but she did this time.  
  
"Her sister? You mean Kristen?"  
  
"Kristen? Who's she?"  
  
"Meredith's sister, Kristen Sparrow. I heard she had no mind Talent, but that her sister had loads!"  
  
"She does. She's a healer-beastspeaker. I'm not talking about Kristen, I'm talking about Krista,"  
  
"Krista? Oh, you mean that brunette. I don't know. I have a bad feeling about her, Harry, a bad feeling..."  
  
"You're just saying that 'cause she's my girlfriend," Harry said. Ron joined them as Meredith left and they began to laugh about it all. Harry had the odd sensation of déja vue. As they left the palace, Harry heard an argument that his friends, still laughing, didn't hear.  
  
"I really don't want to do this, Krista, I'm not that kind of girl!" came Meredith's voice  
  
"And yet, you're doing it. What are you complaining about, it's fun,"  
  
"You're just saying that because of who your dad is! And I don't want to do it! You're making me!"  
  
"He's your step-dad. And Why would I make you do something you didn't..." their voices trailed off as they reached the doors of the castle. They headed over to see Hagrid when all of a sudden, there were cold hands around them pulling them ever deeper into the Forbidden Forest...  
  
Chapter 12  
  
The Truth  
  
  
It all went so fast for Harry since he knew what was happening. When the Death Eater took him into the dark room, he had the same conversation he had overheard. Then, Elspeth entered his mind. This part was new to Harry since last time he didn't know what Elspeth was doing.  
  
"Harry," she farsent and Harry started and Voldemorte just thought Harry was afraid of him.  
  
"Elspeth? Are you here?" Harry thought.  
  
"Yes. Only it's not me," Elspeth sent.  
  
"It's the you from four days ago,"  
  
"Yes. Anyway, Harry there is a way you can get past his mind shield when I can't,"  
  
"Huh?" Harry now looked puzzled and Voldemorte now suspected something, but he started talking anyway.  
  
"For 14 long years I have been trying to get revenge on you..." the usual speech Harry'd heard a million times by now.  
  
"You are an empath while I am a farseeker. You can still receive his emotions and use them against him," Elspeth sent.   
  
There was a pause and Harry sent back, "He's angry but so confident and sure he's going to finally kill me," It went on like that. The exact same conversation Harry had missed out on before. When Voldemorte sprung out at him in a rage, Elspeth came out of the shadows. Harry yelled out a scream of pain as the surge of emotions he felt from Voldemorte transformed for him into physical hurt. He fell unconscious.  
  
"Harry?" he heard a soft voice whisper.  
  
"Hermione? Krista?"  
  
"Meredith,"  
  
"Where's Ron, Hermione, and Krista?" Harry asked, groggily. He expected to be in the hospital wing, but he wasn't. He was still in that cold, dark shack.  
  
"Hermione is getting help and Ron is in the hospital wing. Krista..." she stopped.  
  
"Where is she?"  
  
"She's..."  
  
"She's not?"  
  
"Oh, no, of course not! Maruman sent me here. He said you were in trouble. You have to help Elspeth find the machines now before it's too late. I'm here to heal you,"  
  
"Don't change the subject! I want to see Krista! I love her!"  
  
"Do you?" Meredith asked looking at Harry seriously. It seemed like a silly question and he was just about to say so when he thought. Did he love her? There wasn't much to love. She was rude to everyone she met and she even snapped at Harry. Hermione had a bad feeling about her and she wasn't even all that pretty (keep your mouth shut, GoldenPhoenix!)!  
  
"I thought so. Harry, she's a coercer. She made you love her. And she made me help her in her father's evil plan!" Meredith scowled.  
  
"Where did she go?"  
  
"She left with her father. She was gone when I got here,"  
  
"But she was never here! And who is her father?"  
  
"Her father..." she began, "Who do you think her father is?" Harry didn't answer so she continued, "Her father is... My stepfather, Lord Voldemorte,"  
  
Chapter 13  
  
Time to find the Weapon Machines  
  
Harry was too stunned to speak but even if he wasn't he wouldn't have had the chance because right then, Professor McGonagall appeared at the door. Behind her was a worried looking Hermione.  
  
"Harry Potter! Oh, thank heavens you're all right! If something happened, I don't know what I would do..." Harry, still speechless, looked at her blankly.  
  
"Oh my, he's lost his memory!"  
  
"No he hasn't, professor. He's just... a bit tired," Meredith improvised. Dumbledore appeared next to McGonagall. He held a stern look on his face.  
  
"Meredith, where is your stepsister?" he asked.  
  
"She left with him..."  
  
"Why was I not informed that she was at this school?" he asked, this time to McGonagall.  
  
"Well, she's only a girl and you let practically anyone into this school and so I don't see why-"  
  
"I don't let people with hearts of ice into this school and especially coercers with hearts of ice," Harry found it odd for Dumbledore to act like this for he was a person who believed in second chances. Even if Krista was... His daughter, Dumbledore would have let her in... Wouldn't he? After all, he let Meredith in. Elspeth, with a ginger cat and a white wolf-dog came.  
  
"Professors, Harry and I have a mission to complete," Elspeth said. Harry nodded and came.  
  
"Hermione, would you like to come?" It was now Hermione's turn to be speechless. She looked at her.  
  
"We need you to help us communicating with Atthis and Galtha," Elspeth added.  
  
"But... What about Ron?"  
  
"I'll look after him. Kristen sees... A dark future for him if he goes with you,"  
  
"WHAT?" Hermione asked, quite surprised.  
  
Meredith smiled a mysterious smile, "She's a futureteller. That's why she keeps a low profile. She spread the rumor that she was not a Talent (a word used for "misfits" or people who have mental abilities) because she didn't want people to ask her things. Everyone in my family are skilled Talents. We've all been learning since we could eat solid food. Even Krista..."  
"Does that mean that Vol- Uh, You-Know-Who is a Talent?" Meredith shook her head.  
  
"No. It's from our mothers, not our fathers. I don't know. The Misfit gene must have been past down through the witches in both families. Anyway, Elspeth, you have a destiny to fulfil and Harry, you must aid her. You, too Hermione. Go and return safe..." Harry felt that there was something Meredith wasn't telling them. Harry told Elspeth where she would find the machines in an unexpected place in Sicily Italy. Elspeth took Harry and Hermione's hand and with Dumbledore's permission, apperated to Sicily.  
  
Chapter 14  
  
Hannah, Rasial, and Kristen  
  
  
People stared as Harry, Elspeth, and Hermione appeared so suddenly in the Town Square. All but one black haired woman who glanced, rolled her eyes, and shook her head. She carried her baby into her house. Elspeth followed her.  
  
"Excuse me, ma'am, but-"  
  
"Newly graduates... They think they can just apperate anywhere and there won't be a problem," she had an Italian accent.  
  
"We are looking for a muggle agency called the Reichler clinic. A woman works there named Hannah Seraphim. It is important we contact her,"  
  
"Ah, so you are the girl who the coming was foretold!" the woman gasped, "Ms Seraphim is with her friend, Jacob Obernewton discussing plans for the future. The Reichler clinic is a large building hidden from the govamen and the government. I will take you," Harry didn't know what the woman meant by 'govamen' but he figured they must be muggles against Talents and the Reichler clinic. The plump woman led the three to a tall building, very modernized.  
  
"I leave you here..." The woman said. Harry, Elspeth and Hermione entered the building. Elspeth approached the front desk.  
  
"Excuse me, but I was wondering if I may speak with Hannah Seraphim?"  
  
"She's in a meetin'," the blonde replied in a cockney British accent, filing her nails. It was only then did they realize that they were in the center of an international community. All around were people from Asia, Australia, Africa, North America, South America, Europe, and even Antarctica!  
  
"Tell her... Tell her that Elspeth Seeker is here. Empathize the Seeker part," The girl sighed and left to see Hannah Seraphim. After a few minutes, a tall woman with curly brown hair and blue eyes burst through the elevator as if in a hurry. She looked around the room and she saw Harry, Elspeth and Hermione looking a bit out of place. Behind her came a dark skinned girl. Elspeth walked towards them.  
  
"My name is Elspeth Gordie. You must be Hannah and you must be Casey," They nodded in shock.  
  
"I am here from my time to discuss the holding of the weapon machines," Hannah held a finger to her mouth, "SSHHHHHH! We must not speak of that here. Come, to my office," Harry, Hermione, Maruman, and the wolf-dog were left outside while they discussed. Harry could feel the dog's anger when she began to communicate with Hermione.  
  
"The funuga-li are such prejudice and aloof creatures. They think that they are better then the other beasts just because they think they are the only ones with intelligence. I think that they are the ones that lack intelligence,"  
  
"Oh, not this one. The oldOnes say that she is kind, smart, and understands the wants and pain of beasts,"  
  
"Yes, Innle and Hannahmind are freespirits. However, I fear a dark future for Hannahmind," the she-dog stated, gravely.  
  
Hermione seemed confused, "What do you mean, Rasial?"  
  
"Beasts, too, see shadows of things to come. Hannahmind will be in danger and it is the responsibility of Potterboywholived to save her. All though, in the end it will come down to one choice: His life, or hers," Hermione broke contact, not wanting to hear more.  
  
"The old Ones speak!" Maruman sent.  
  
"Hermionemind! A dark future awaits you if you do not return to the burrud/Hogwarts with Potterboywholived instantly!"  
  
"But, Meredith said-"  
  
"Meredith thinks of no one but MasterMind's protection! She wishes him to bond with her," Hermione didn't know what Atthis meant by "Master mind" or "bond"(but she knew "burrud" was home in beast speak) but she consented. When Elspeth came out looking quite satisfied, Hermione told her what Atthis had said. Elspeth, who never understood futuretellers' ways, agreed. When they apperated to Hogwarts, they met a dark haired girl with mysterious hazel eyes who reminded Elspeth of her friend, Maryon.  
  
"Harry, it was not long before now that you had a discovering adventure. Now, you must take another to save your friend's life,"  
  
Chapter 15  
  
MasterMind's Identity  
  
  
"Excuse me, but what are you talking about?" Harry asked.  
  
"She is talking about Meredith and Ron," Elspeth said. Hermione and Harry looked at her. Se shrugged, "It has taken time, but I have learned to interpret futureteller's ways of speech,"  
"Elspeth is correct. My sister took Ron to what she thought was a safe place, but turned out to be right where Krista was waiting for them. Voldemorte has Ron and he is going to use him. Just as Madam Vega and Alexi tried to use you, Elspeth," Elspeth was reminded of a time when she was a prisoner at her home of Obernewton. It used to be used to test misfits' powers before it was taken over by the misfits. The two leaders, Alexi and Madam Vega, tried to use Elspeth to find out where the weapon machines were by torturing the mind. Elspeth wouldn't have been able to bare it if her husband wasn't there to drain off some of the pain. It was the first time she used her deep killing power on Madam Vega.  
  
"How did you know that?" Elspeth asked. Kristen smiled mysteriously, "A futureteller sees many things, Elspeth, you should know that,"  
"Then you must feel secure in knowing that your family will survive the apocalypse," Kristen did nothing but smile.  
  
Hermione voiced a question that she had been wondering for a long time, "Who is 'Mastermind?'"  
  
"Mastermind?" Elspeth said, "Why, I think that is something he himself must tell you,"  
  
"Where did Meredith take Ron?" Harry asked.  
  
"To the Astronomy tower, but you won't find them there anymore. You will find them... In a small house a few miles away from Hogsmead," No sooner did Kristen speak the words did Harry and Hermione sprint off to the village with Rasial the she-dog at their heels.  
  
It took them hours to reach the cottage but it was the only one that looked deserted enough to fit Voldemorte's liking. With a shower of sparks, Hermione blew the door open. They found Ron hooked up to a machine that Rasial identified as a Zeb Karahn. Meredith was found sobbing in the corner of the cottage and Harry approached the limp, cold figure of Ron Weasley. Harry looked at Ron's pale skin, hoping what he thought wasn't true. He felt his wrist. No pulse. He dropped it and looked at Meredith.  
  
"What happened?" he asked.  
  
"They... they hooked him up to that machine there and... I tried to drain off some pain but... they put on the highest level and I know Ron saw where Elspeth went... then he... he told them and all the pain went away. I quickly withdrew from his mind afraid to be pulled to death. He was near it... I wanted to protect him, I really did. Then, they left us here," Hermione walked up to Ron and felt his pulse and shrieked out in shock and joy.  
  
"HE'S ALIVE! HE'S ALIVE!" Harry turned his head to her. He, too walked up to Ron again. He felt his pulse. Nothing, then pumppump... pumppump of a slow heart beat.  
  
"Oh my- she's right!" Meredith stood up, shakily. Ron opened his eyes and saw Meredith.  
  
"Tell them... My love," Hermione's face fell and to cover that up she said "Tell us what, Meredith?"  
  
"Ron knew you were wondering who MasterMind was. Well, this, my friends, is MasterMind. The legendary human mind that has the ability to have the strongest farseeking and coercing ability ever seen. If you haven't discovered all ready, a coercer can enter a person's mind, find a controversial thought and enforce it. Like, if you thought that maybe, maybe there was someone else in the room you didn't see, a coercer could make you think there really was another person in the room. This thought does not have to be conscious. Like your unconscious thought of a possibility that you may actually learn to love Krista. Coercers can also erase your memory. Not completely, and they can also sometimes bring it back,"  
  
"We have to go tell Elspeth what happened," Harry said.  
  
Chapter 16  
  
Elspeth's Goodbye  
  
"Yes, I see..." Elspeth trailed off, "Voldemorte wanted Ron because he thought Ron knew where the Death Machines were. And, of course, he did because he coerced Harry into telling him without knowing it. Very interesting situation. I believe my work is finished here. I must return to my own time. Harry, good luck with your future schooling. Ron, handle that power well. Hermione... Remember where your heart lies," Hermione seemed puzzled at what Elspeth had told her. Seeing her puzzled look, Elspeth continued, "You are the brightest witch I know in your time and in mine, and remember that. And you have friends and family that love you very much. However, I warn you for in the future, you will have a child and Meredith's stepsister will want that child. I can give no further information on the matter. Meredith, take good care of MasterMind and my Great, Great Grandfather. Farewell, old Albus, and watch over these children. I have a feeling we will all meet again someday," and with that, Elspeth took out her time turner and disappeared.  
  
"That went very well, don't you think?" Harry asked Dumbledore. They were in his office and Fawks was eyeing them, protectively. Dumbledore, on the other hand, shook his head.  
  
"No... I have a feeling that this is not the end, but the beginning..."  



	3. Hermione's Abduction

Hermione's Abduction  
  
'Reginald Wheeler' was typing like mad on his computer. The stories he sold were actually written by his friend. He just helped with the commercial side of the business, and signed his name as the author. His friend didn't want to be known as the author. Meanwhile, A tall, lovely young woman with bushy brown hair came to Reginald's secretary.  
  
"Hello, my name is- um, Harriet Granings. I need to see Mr. Wheeler. It's urgent,"  
  
"I'm sorry, but he can't be disturbed. He's working on a new sales pitch for his best selling books and-"  
  
"Did you hear me or not? I told you it's urgent. Shish, Muggles these days. Honestly, I think a lot of them are almost completely deaf!" 'Harriet' was obviously in a bad mood.  
  
"What did you call me?"  
  
"Nothing,"  
  
"All right, I'll let you speak to him," The secretary turned on the intercom, "Mr. Wheeler, a Ms. Harriet Granings would like to speak with you,"  
  
"I'm busy, Rachel, didn't I tell you this?"  
  
"I know, sir, but she said it's important,"  
  
'Harriet' distinctly heard a reluctant sigh from the other end of the line, "Send her in,"  
  
'Harriet' burst through the door.  
  
"Yes?" 'Reginald' looked up and didn't recognize his old best friend.  
  
'Harriet' closed the door behind her, "Remember me, Ronald Weasley?" He stopped typing and squinted at the girl, "Hermione?" He said with surprise, "I thought you were Ministress of Magic,"  
  
"I am, Ron," she had a stern look on her face, "And I can play the identity game, too,"  
  
"Why are you… Oh,"  
  
"I'm not here for the reason you think I am and I am risking my job to tell you this,"  
  
"You used to risk a lot more then that when you were at Hogwarts," Ron smiled at those memories.  
  
"We aren't kids any more, Ron, and you better get your act together. You're just lucky I found out about you before anyone else did,"  
  
"Hermione, Hermione. You were always the smartest witch I knew,"  
  
"STOP CHANGING THE SUBJECT, RON!" Hermione got so mad she pointed her wand at Ron and red sparks came out.  
  
"Hey, watch it, Hermione!"  
  
"Now, did you write those books about Harry?" Ron didn't answer, "Do you know how much you're risking writing about us in muggle books? What if people find out? There would be a world wide panic!" Hermione took a deep breath and calmed down, "I'm here to warn you. If you don't stop writing these books, you'll be sent to Azkaban for who knows how long!" again, Ron was silent. Hermione smiled for the first time in months and walked over to Ron's desk, leaned over it and kissed him on the cheek.  
  
"I know what you're doing. You're covering up for someone. And, judging by the detail in these books," Hermione picked up a book on Ron's desk and flipped through it, "I'd say you were covering up for Harry," Ron, silent still, became very interested in a swallow out the window.  
  
"I'm not going to turn you or Harry in. You know I'd never do that. But if the ministry finds out…" Hermione was about to leave when Ron said, "I know you wouldn't turn me in," Hermione left and Ron added, "You haven't sunk that low yet,"  
  
Hermione Granger was now standing outside of a lovely home in Godric Hollow. She knocked on the door. She remembered when she graduated from Hogwarts, she, Ron, and Harry came to this house. It had belonged to Harry for a long time, it was a gift, but he hadn't been allowed to move in until he graduated. It had belonged to Sirius and, not having been lived in for a while, was covered in vines. The three had some time cleaning the old place up, but no matter how much hard work it was, they laughed and played together as teenagers do and they got the job done. Hermione, like Ron, missed those days, but she knew she could never go back to them. She was an adult now and had a responsibility. She was Ministress of Magic, and, said to be one of the best Ministers the ministry had known for a long time. When Fudge (the old Minister) started making some bad decisions at the end of Harry, Ron, and Hermione's fourth year at Hogwarts, his popularity had gone down hill. The first and only controversial thing Hermione did when she became Ministress was stopping the search for Sirius Black and letting him come out of hiding. What intrigued the people even more was Harry's reaction to this. As soon as he saw Black, he jumped up and hugged him. Everyone except Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, and Albus Dumbledore found this very odd because everyone except the people that have just been mentioned thought Black had killed Harry's parents. But of course the four knew who it really was. That was the only regret, Hermione had, not being able to put Wormtail and his master in Azkaban. No, worse, not being able to give either one the Dementor's Kiss. There was an unfortunate occurrence, after that. Albus Dumbledore had passed away. Of course that was another regret.  
  
"Ministress! To what do I owe this pleasure!" Harry said, jokingly. Hermione snapped out of her thoughts and came back to reality.  
  
"Hello, Harry,"  
  
"Ron sent me an owl and said you had been to see him. He said he was afraid you were coming to see me but he didn't say why…"  
  
"Harry, are you writing those books about our adventures at Hogwarts for muggles?" Harry went silent just as Ron had done, "You did, didn't you? You don't have to worry, yet. I'm not going to turn you in. I'm just warning you. If you don't stop writing these books, Ron's going to Azkaban,"  
  
"Ron? Why not me?"  
  
"Because I'm going to tell them you had nothing to do with it. I can clear your name, but I can't clear his because his muggle name is signed as the author,"  
  
"It takes a lot of courage for you to break the rules, even in Hogwarts. You haven't changed to me no matter what Ron says. You're still trying to help a friend,"  
  
"What did Ron say?" Hermione asked, suspiciously.  
  
"Nothing…"  
  
"What did he say, Harry?"  
  
"Well, he just said that all this Ministress of Magic thing had gone to your head," Hermione looked down, "I guess it has a little…"  
  
"Hermione, don't say that,"  
  
"Harry?" a voice called from Harry's living room.  
  
"Cho's here isn't she?" Hermione asked, hopefully. Harry nodded, "Thinking of getting back together? Possibly even remarriage?"  
  
"We're thinking about it… For the kids' sake,"  
  
"They're sweethearts, Harry, you're lucky to have them,"  
  
"Sirius said Niki looks like my mum,"  
"And how's little Andy?"  
  
"He's fine,"  
  
"How does Cho feel about Sirius?"  
  
"Believe it or not, she says she understands,"  
  
"I should go, I have a lot of work to do," and with that, Hermione left. As she turned the corner into a back alley shortcut, she felt a wand at her back.  
  
"Don't you dare move," an unfortunately familiar voice ordered.  
  
"Rachel, I have to leave, now! It's sort of a, um, family emergency. Could you cover for me?" Ron was hastily putting on his coat.  
  
"Sure, Mr. Wheeler," his secretary replied.  
  
"You know what? Call me Ron, Rachel," he smiled, knowing his secretary didn't read the books despite what she said.  
  
"Ron?" Rachel said, confused.  
  
"It was a nickname my friends called me," Ron said, as truthful as possible. And without waiting for another word from his secretary, Ronald Weasley went out the door.  
  
Ron met Harry in Diagon's Alley. They were both frantic.  
  
"You were the last one to see her, where did she go?"  
  
"I don't know, Ron, but the ministry have been sent an owl. The handwriting was unidentifiable even with the most powerful charms trying to find out who it belonged to,"  
  
"What did it say?" Harry looked down, silent.  
  
"It said that if the ministry executes Sirius Black, the ministress- Hermione, won't be hurt," Ron stared in disbelief then finally, "WHAT?! Why would they want Sirius?"  
  
"I don't know, Ron, but the ministry jumped at the chance until I told them that Hermione would be very disappointed if they execute him for her,"  
  
"We should tell them the truth about Sirius,"  
  
"Nah we can't prove- Wait a minute, you're absolutely right!" Harry became suddenly excited, "We need one more person and a plan!" Harry ran off in the direction of Selina's house.  
  
"Oh, so now that Hermione isn't here you decide to take her place and run off and leave me without a clue!" Ron said mostly to himself, shook his head, and walked after Harry.  
  
"I've heard, come in. Elspeth's already here," Selina ushered Harry and Ron into the house.  
  
"How do you know Elspeth? And I thought she went back to the future. How did you get her back?"  
  
"Witches, wizards and muggles aren't the only ones who can farseek, you know,"  
  
"Over time?"  
  
"It's just another wonderful benefit of being a starling," Selina sighed. She didn't look a day older then the day when Harry, Ron, and Hermione first met her. Of course she wasn't really a fifteen-year-old witch, she was a three-hundred-year-old starling.  
  
"Hello Harry, Ron," Elspeth, too, looked exactly the same age.  
  
"I summoned her right after she returned from teaching you guys. Well, that is in her time. In our time it was about half an hour ago," Selina said.  
  
"Elspeth, I-"  
  
"Harry, do I have permission to enter your mind, rather then you explaining it too me?"  
  
"Uh, well, yeah, OK," Harry felt a major headache when Elspeth entered his mind because she was too quick and he hadn't let down his shield yet.  
  
"Oops, sorry, I'm just anxious to find out so we can leave as soon as possible," she sent.  
  
"It's all right," Harry said aloud. He could feel Elspeth's mind going through his memories. He didn't mind this because she had shown him hers before. Elspeth withdrew and smiled.  
  
"I see…"  
  
"What?" Ron and Selina were clueless. Then, Selina was silent as Elspeth informed her of what she saw in Harry's mind by means of farseeking. Selina nodded, "Let's go!" and off they went out the door.  
  
"How come I always have to be the only one who doesn't know what's going on? I don't like going into people's heads. The only time I do it is when I have to. Oh well, at least it can't get worse," Ron said.  
  
"You want to know what's going on?" Ron spun around to face the back door.  
  
"I was wrong," he sighed, for he was facing a fully-grown, greasy blonde haired Draco Malfoy, "Hello, Malfoy. Tell me. Where's Hermione?"  
  
"Why should I tell you unless you give me something I want? Besides, mudbloods like her don't deserve to be Minister of Magic," Ron's face became angry.  
  
"What do you want!?"  
  
"I'll tell you what I want. I want you to kill Sirius Black,"  
  
"WHAT? I'd never-"  
  
"IMPERIO!" declared Malfoy. Ron fell silent.  
  
"Not only Starlings can control people, you know," He laughed a hideous laugh, "When it's done, bring him to me here,"  
  
"I would like to state that Hermione Granger, Ministress of Magic, will certainly die even if you kill one Sirius Black, falsely accused of murder!" Harry said before the court. They gasped.  
  
"Does anyone second this motion?"  
  
"Yes, I, Ron Weasley, second the motion," Ron stood up.  
  
"I third it," Selina declared.  
  
"I will not have a Starling in my court unless she is here for evidence," the judge said.  
  
"Oh, but I am," she said and pulled down the collar of her robes to reveal a red handprint burned into her neck forever, "This print belongs to a live Voldemorte that still lives today with his accomplice, Peter Petigrew!"  
  
"Nonsense. Yes, it has been proven that You-Know-Who is still here, but Sirius Black killed Peter Petigrew and betrayed his best friend,"  
  
"Wrong! Peter Petigrew killed my parents! Sirius made him the secret keeper at the last minute not knowing he was in league with Voldemorte," Harry announced.  
  
"I am afraid you are mistaken. Black was in league with You–Know-Who, not Petigrew,"  
  
"It's surprising that even today everyone but Starlings and Harry Potter never bother to call him by his real name. Voldemorte, my dear judge," The whole court turned in their seats and fell silent as they saw Albus Dumbledore enter the room for everyone thought he was dead.  
  
"Dumbledore, which side do you support in this matter?" the judge finally broke the tense silence  
  
"I am afraid I have to take Harry's side. If you don't believe me, ask Harry's granddaughter," now the court was really astonished by this case for no one had guessed that Elspeth Gordie was Harry Potter's great granddaughter.  
  
"Miss Gordie, what do you have to say?" Elspeth closed her eyes and after a while, opened them.  
  
"The boy speaks the truth!" now the court began to murmur to one another.  
  
"That is no proof! That girl is a biased farseeker! She is a relative," the judge declared. They murmured again.  
  
"You want proof?"  
  
"Harry, no!" Selina said.  
  
"I'll give you proof!" Harry pulled out some hardcover books, "I, Harry Potter have written my life at Hogwarts in these books! None of it, and I repeat, none of it is fiction!"  
  
"YOU!" The judge screamed, "You're the one writing the books for muggles! Wait, you're the one writing the books for muggles?"   
  
Harry bowed his head, "Yes, sir, I am. But we are not discussing me,"  
  
"Harry is right, we are discussing Sirius Black, Peter Petigrew, and Hermione Granger," Ron had been silent for a long time, "Black had been framed. When he heard what Petigrew had done he went after him and we all know their encounter in the street. Petigrew lied, blew off his finger and turned into a rat. He's an animgus,"  
  
"If he is innocent then what do you propose we do?"  
  
"Find her,"  
  
"How?"  
  
"You'll see…" Harry smiled. Ron gave an even larger, scarier smile.  
  
"Harry, the first thing we should do is find Sirius," Ron said.  
  
"What? Why? There's no reason to drag him into this just yet,"  
  
"Yes there is, I'll explain on the way," they were at Harry's house now and as Ron was heading out the door, Niki tugged at his robes, "Where awe you going, Uncle Won?"  
  
"Get out of my way, brat!" and he left. Harry and Elspeth looked at each other and Elspeth said, "I'll farseek him,"  
  
On the way to Sirius's house (they took brooms), Ron didn't explain a thing despite what he had promised at Harry's house. This gave Elspeth time to farseek him.  
  
"Ron, what are you up to?"  
  
"Get out of my mind!" and he sent a powerful mind block to her that forced her to hold her head. She tried again, but this time, didn't speak directly to him. She tried to go through his mind but she couldn't. It was as if Ron wasn't there anymore. It was as if there was another mind there instead. But she still tried. She broke through the wall to Ron's true mind.  
  
"Help me, Elspeth!" he sent, panicky.   
  
"Don't worry, Ron. Tell me, what happened?" as Ron explained to her they had approached Sirius's house. Elspeth hadn't noticed. Ron got off his broom, followed closely by Harry and Selina. Ron knocked on the door. Sirius answered and Ron drew out his wand. Elspeth, who had learned all she needed, ran to the door screaming, "No! Sirius, get out of the way!" Harry pulled Sirius out onto the patio just as Ron spoke those horrible words Harry never wanted to hear again in his life.  
  
"Avada Kedavera," the green light blew away Sirius's back wall.  
  
Harry jumped on Ron and knocked him to the floor, "WHAT THE HECK DO YOU THINK YOU'RE DOING!"  
  
"It's not him, Harry, it's Malfoy,"  
"HUH?"  
"He cast the imperious curse on Ron," Harry now, turned Ron on his back.  
  
"Fight it, Ron, you can do it! All you have to do is say no!" Harry said. Elspeth had entered his mind again.  
  
"Can you hear that, Ron?"  
  
"Yes,"  
  
"Then fight it. He's talking to you!"  
  
"I can't it's too powerful,"  
  
"Don't give me that you wimp! Did I spend all that time teaching you to farseek for nothing? Come on, boy, you're one of the strongest people I've met!" Ron's mind went silent with shock at how forceful Elspeth's probe became. Ron began to fight it. He blinked.  
  
"Harry?" he said.   
  
Harry gave him a huge hug, "I knew you'd pull through, friend,"   
  
"What was all that about?" Sirius asked completely lost.  
  
"As you may not of heard since the Ministry is trying to keep it quiet especially from the media, Hermione has been kidnapped and Ron was put under one of the unforgivable curses to kill you," Harry felt that he owed it to Sirius to explain.  
  
Sirius assumed a position of thought, "Draco Malfoy put Ron under a curse and Hermione Granger, Ministress of Magic has been kidnapped… Let's see, we have a starling and two farseekers on our side not to mention an incredible young man and an ex-convict I think we have the advantage here,"  
  
"Wait a minute, I think I have a plan here," Ron said.  
  
"Did you do it?" Malfoy asked. Ron nodded and lifted up a limp Sirius. Malfoy smiled a crooked smile. He took off the curse. Ron blinked a few times then looked down at his arms. A look of horror crossed his face. He looked up at Malfoy, shocked and full of hatred.  
  
"You… You… Why did you do this? Where's Hermione?"  
  
"Oh now, she'll be killed," Malfoy said, capriciously. Ron's anger grew, but he controlled it while he farsent Malfoy. Malfoy was not mind-sensitive so he couldn't feel Ron's probe. Ron didn't need to look far to find Hermione's whereabouts. He pretended to leave in anger but he was really feeling quite good. When he got outside the house he met with Harry, Elspeth, Selina, and Sirius. In Ron's hands, he held a double of Sirius. It disappeared now that its job had been fulfilled. The four looked at Ron expectantly.  
  
"She's in an old abandoned store in a deserted corner of Knockturn Alley. But careful, it's covered in curses," Ron said. They all nodded and apperated to Knockturn Alley.  
  
"You bastard!" Hermione screamed.  
  
"Temper, temper, young lady," Petigrew was looking at Hermione who was chained to the wall.  
  
"Why do you want to kill Sirius?"  
  
"Because he is a threat to my master. As long as people think I'm dead, no one will come looking for me,"  
  
"He's not a threat to your master, he's a threat to you! Otherwise, why didn't you kill him yourself to get a reward,"  
  
"Because young Malfoy wanted in on the deal. You know he hates you. He thought the idea of killing Sirius was wonderful and torturing you was even better,"  
  
"You son of a -"  
  
"Language, young lady, language. Now, there's something else I want from you. I want your first born child,"  
  
"What are you, Rumpelstiltskin?"   
  
"Who?"  
  
"UGH! You idiot! Why do you want my child? I'm not even married!"  
  
"But the mistress says you will be. And when you are, your child will be vital to her plan!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"Just give me your kid!"  
"NO!"  
"HERMIONE!" Ron shouted.  
  
"HARRY! RON! Selina? Elspeth?" Hermione looked confused at Ron and Harry's companions.  
  
"How did you get passed those curses?" Petigrew asked.  
  
"Elspeth. She could sense if a curse was near and clear the way for us. You could have been useful in the Triwizard Tournament," Harry said.  
  
"What is all this noise- Ah, if it isn't Harry Potter. Hello, Harry, nice to see you again,"  
  
"Hello, Krista," Harry said.  
  
"So, tell me, how are those stupid step-sisters of mine?" Krista asked. She had grown into a lovely witch with her long brown hair and enchanting smile.  
  
"No time for small talk, Harry, we have to get Hermione out of here," Harry shook his head as if something was in his hair.  
  
"You're right, Ron," He pointed his wand at Hermione's binds and muttered the incantation. The chains snapped open.  
  
"NO!" Krista screamed as they all disapperated to Harry's house.  
  
"So, why does he want your fist born child?" Ron asked.  
  
"He said that it was 'vital to his plans.' It was strange…" Stella had left and Elspeth had gone back to her own time.  
  
"Well I'm just glad she's all right and believe me, Sirius is, too," Harry smiled at Hermione.  



End file.
